Hingham : Derby Street
Karen Donahue
http://
kpdonahue@comcast.net
As a teenager I was a downhill ski racer, runner, tennis player and swimmer, I loved my sports! I grew up in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York and headed off to St. Michael’s in Vermont at age 18 with a plan. Five days after I arrived, I awoke in a hospital with a nun standing over me, I thought I had died and was in heaven but I hadn’t, I had my first grand mal seizure. So the long journey began. Two years later I moved to Boston, graduated from Northeastern University, got married and had two children. My family has been my inspiration! Their love and support has helped me achieve many goals and capture many dreams.
For the next 23 years I dealt with frequent, unpredictable seizures, endured a number of surgeries and many trips to the emergency room. However, I have now been seizure free for the past two years and have plans to write a book about my journey through epilepsy. I realize just how lucky I am, but there are still so many still fighting this battle. Approximately 2% of the population has epilepsy and of that percentage 30% are uncontrolled, as were mine. I now feel compelled to continue to fight on behalf of others with epilepsy. In 2003 I was the director of Camp-We-Kan-Tu, a weeklong overnight camp for kids with epilepsy. With the help of the community sponsoring me in my first marathon, Boston 2003, I raised 25,000 dollars for the camp and I continue today to remain active in the support of others with epilepsy.
Running has been my ticket to freedom. It gives me the feeling of independence, the first thing you lose when you experience a seizure, the next thing you lose is your license to drive. I will never lose sight of my running, it has gotten me through many challenging years, but now that I am driving the simplest things have been life changing. As my kids explain it, now we’re normal mom. When I couldn’t drive my feet were my wheels. If there was an errand to do or an appointment to keep, I ran. My family has never discouraged me from running and I have now completed five marathons and numerous local races. In October of 2008, I ran the Boston half marathon and placed eighth in the women’s masters division. In the 2003 New York City marathon I made it to within 400 yards of the finish line and had a seizure. Someone, I never learned who, took my hand and helped me cross the finish line. Despite my seizure I finished the race with my first qualifying time for Boston. Everything has gone full circle for me and I now can run a marathon or just around town without the fear of seizures.
Presently I’m teaching kids yoga and am in the process of completing my 200 hour National Yoga Alliance certification in June 2009. Yoga and running provide a great balance for me. Yoga embodies all that I have learned to believe in by bringing the body, mind, spirit and soul together. Determination and passion for running has carried me through many challenging years. The last piece of the puzzle for me is yoga, building upon all the benefits running has provided and carrying me to the next level of personal fitness and health.
I am so fortunate to at last be seizure free, at least for the moment. I fought hard to be where I am and realize that you never know what lies ahead. I strive to live every day to the fullest and to be grateful to all of those who have helped me along the way. I realize now more than ever that it is the journey not the destination that defines you.